Even with Minseok in tow, Kai arrived at the other two’s shared dorm from the café in less time than it had taken Minseok to walk to the café in the first place. Kai probably had his long legs to thank for that, Minseok mused as he settled back against Sehun’s chest and took in the lengthy lines of Kai’s body with barely concealed appreciation. The other dancer was sitting stiffly in the apartment’s lone recliner, clearly uncomfortable with the fact that Sehun had been seated entirely alone on the couch when Kai had dragged Minseok inside, yet Minseok had registered the available space and chosen to sit on his boyfriend’s lap anyway.

“Long time no see,” Sehun remarked into the heavy silence, threading his arms around Minseok’s waist and resting his chin on his boyfriend’s slight shoulder to look at Kai more directly. His gaze was intensely focused and made Kai squirm noticeably, especially when Sehun tilted his head slightly to the side and asked “Why?”

When Minseok shuddered at the movement of Sehun’s lips on his neck as he spoke, Kai’s fists clenched in his lap and he closed his eyes to breathe deeply for a moment before opening them again. Minseok, slightly more empathetic by nature, registered Kai’s struggle for composure—that and the worn pillow Kai was using to try and subtly cover his crotch—and he patted one of Sehun’s hands resting on his stomach.

The longer Kai remained mute, the tighter Sehun’s hold on Minseok became, so when Minseok suggested gently “Maybe Kai wants some water first. Sehun-ah, how about you go get something for him to drink?” he did it for everyone’s benefit. Sehun acquiesced easily—like Minseok had known he would—and pecked his boyfriend’s cheek before rising from the couch with Minseok cradled in his arms. Dropping the smaller male into Kai’s lap without comment, Sehun disappeared into the kitchen and left the other two alone.

As soon as the blonde boy was out of sight, Kai sprang into action, roughly pushing Minseok off his thighs so he could stand. “I can’t—I—” he breathed out, voice as shaky as his resolve when Minseok began to cry.

“Don’t you like me?” Minseok whimpered, not bothering to keep his anguish subdued since Sehun’s errand to get drinks was largely an excuse and Minseok knew his boyfriend was listening attentively.

Kai sighed and ran a calloused hand through his hair. The movement had his biceps rippling pleasantly in a way that would have had Minseok drooling if he weren’t currently so upset.

“You don’t?” Minseok prompted. “But I thought—at the club? And then with Sehun and when I burnt my hand and—” His words halted as Minseok became too choked up too continue. Kai couldn’t help himself then and sat heavily back down into the armchair, arms around Minseok to drag the other boy with him.

“Shh,” he whispered into Minseok’s hair as he cried hard on Kai’s shoulder. “You’re right. I do like you. Both of you. A lot, okay?” Minseok’s tears slowed at that and he looked up at Kai through glistening eyelashes in skeptical disbelief when Kai added under his breath “Too much, probably.”

Sehun chose that moment to step out from the kitchen so he could lean with his arms crossed over his chest against the wall. If Kai noticed that the other’s hands were conspicuously empty of refreshments, he didn’t say anything about it. Instead, Sehun confessed “We like you too, Kai. Both of us. And more than just a lot, okay?”

Minseok nodded his agreement into Kai’s collar bone and for the first time in more than a month, Kai finally felt at peace with his feelings because even though Minseok and Sehun now knew Kai’s dirty little secret—that he somehow liked them both—they were okay with it. Kai had never imagined—not even in his deepest, darkest dreams—that such a thing were possible; and now, as he sat with his arms around Minseok and his gaze held tenderly by Sehun’s own, not only was that desperate hope possible, it was becoming real.